Natalie Symons, RN

March 4, 2020

Preparing for a Pandemic

Last week the Center for Disease Control declared that it is expected that the Covide-19 virus will spread in the United States. Dr. Rachel Levine, Health Secretary of the PA Department of Health stated, “It is critical now that we be prepared for the possibility of community spread of COVID-19”. If you haven’t already, it is probably time to dust...

General

December 20, 2019

Five Nutrition Tips to Promote Wound Healing

We wanted to share this great article found on Eat Right. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. See original publication here, https://www.eatright.org/health/wellness/preventing-illness/nutrition-tips-to-promote-wound-healing written by Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDE, CPT, CHWC. We’ve all had a wound: a cut, scratch or scrape that breaks the skin. Most wounds on healthy people heal quickly when kept clean and free of infection, while other types...

General/Nutrition

November 1, 2019

Prevent Skin Issues While in the Hospital

Most often when someone goes to the hospital you probably think they are going to get fixed up, healed up, and get out of the hospital good as new. In some cases, that does happen. Sometimes though it doesn’t. There is something called a Hospital Acquired Pressure Injury. It is a term Hospitals use for when a person develops a...

General/Skin Care

January 23, 2019

Working Out in the Winter

Western Pennsylvania weather can make it difficult to have any activity outside in the cold. Sometimes running from my heated car in the parking lot to the grocery store and back feels like an Olympic feat. Not to mention, that it gets dark so much earlier making it much more likely for us to want to curl up with a blanket...

Physical Activity

January 9, 2019

5 Tips to Help Prevent Pressure Ulcers

Pressure ulcers or skin ulcers are areas of damaged skin and tissue that occur when there is friction or unrelieved pressure on one area of the body. These areas can effect anyone who has difficulty moving on their own, or staying in one position for too long. Pressure ulcers can start to form in as little as 15 minutes. Pressure...

Skin Care

December 30, 2018

Burning Medication

Did you know that some medications can increase the chance you will have a reaction to the sun? These medications can cause reactions such as a rash that can develop anywhere on the body or even severe blisters and burns on exposed skin. According to the National Core Indicators-2016, 45% of people surveyed with an intellectual disability in Pennsylvania take...